A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device used to cool a contained stream of fluid by means of evaporation, and more particularly, to a device that provides a heat sink for cooling fluids and which is suitable for operation in high altitude environment situations, such as in outer space.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Many attempts for providing heat sink devices for use in conjunction with a variety of environments are known. One such heat sink device, which is particularly suitable for operations in high altitude environment situations, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,601 ('601) which is herein incorporated by reference. The '601 patent discloses a sublimator/evaporator system in which liquid flows around the outside of tubes, while the tube interior is vented directly to a vacuum. A portion of the liquid experiences a liquid to vapor change releasing latent heat therefrom and leaving the remaining fluid cooled to serve as a medium for heat sinking purposes. The sublimator/evaporator system of the '601 patent serves well its intended purpose and if sized correctly provides proper control of the cooling rate. However, the system of the '601 patent is disadvantageously limited because the flow rate is limited by the internal orifice size of each tube and, therefore, does not make advantageous use of the full surface area employed in the construction of the device. It is desired that an evaporative cooling device be provided that advantageously takes advantage of the full surface area employed in its construction and yet not reduce its cooling capabilities.